Device for fastening school-desks



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, J. W. MYERS. DEVICE PORTAST-BNING SCHOOL DESKS.

Patented 'Qan. 1, 1884.

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a UNITED ,STATES PATENT A JOHN wnsr MYERS, or LINCOLN, INDIANA.

DEVICE FOR FASTENING SCHOOL=DESKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 291,219, dated January 1, 1884. Application filed May 3,1553. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, JOHN W. MYERS, of Lincoln, in the county of Cass and State of Indiana,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Fastening School-Desks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for fastening school-desks and other articles in position; and it consists in the combination of suitable lugs or projections, which are either cast with or formed separately and then attached to the leg of the desk or other article, suitable recessed plates provided with flanges or projections, which are to be recessed in the floor or other suitable support, and into which the lugs or projections are made to catch, and a suitable locking device, by means of which the article is prevented from being touched afterit is once-fastened in position, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for fastening school-desks and other such things rigidly in position while being used, but which will allow the desks or other devices to be instantly detached for the purpose of repairs, cleaning, or for any other object.

Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal section of my invention attached to the legs of a schooldesk. Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views of the recessed plates. Fig. 4 is an edge view of one of the lugs or projections. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the locking device. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a pair of legs for a school-desk, one leg having the lug and the other leg having both the lug and the locking device.

A represents the legs of aschool-desk, bench, or other article of a similar nature, and B are the plates provided with the lugs orprojectiofis O, which may either be cast separately and secured to the legs or may be formed as apart of the legs, as may be preferred. WVhere the desks are made of wood, it will be necessary to cast all of the pieces and then attach them to the legs; but where the legs of the desk are made of iron these plates and lugs maybe position. The plates D D, which are to be recessed in the floor or other suitable support,

have a suitable cavity, F, in their centers, and

which cavities are provided with slanting or tapering ends, as shown, so as to correspond to the shape of the under side of the lugs. Projecting over opposite sides of the cavity are the projections H, which may either be straight or thicker at one end than the other, and which serve to catch over the flanges of the sides of the lugs, and thus prevent the desk or other article from being raised upward. The two plates D D, which are to be used in connection with each other, will differ slightly from each other, in that one of the plates will have the two projections H, as shown, and at one end, in addition thereto, will be formed the plates or stops J for the locking-bolt L to strike against, and thus prevent the leg of the table from being moved backward. WVhen the lugs which are attached to the leg or legs of the desk are dropped into the recesses formed in the plates, the desk is then moved endwise, so as to push the lugs toward the inclined end of the recesses, and thus cause the lugs to wedge themselves tightly in position. The more the desk is pushed forward the more tightly these 1 lugs lock themselves in place and hold the desk in position. In order to prevent the desk from being pulled backward, an automatic locking device is necessary. This device consists of a bolt, L, which drops downward from its own gravity, and which can be raised upward by means of the prong 0 upon the spindle P. In order to protect this spindle as much as possible from dust or dirt, and to prevent it from being plugged up or injured in any way, a small cylinder, Q, is placed around the spindle, which is given any desired shape to re ceive a key. This spindle is held in position by means of a plate, which covers over the cavity in which the lockingbolt moves. hen

the lug upon this leg or foot of the desk is dropped down into the cavity in the locking plate and then pushed forward, this lockingbolt drops down into the cavity and fills the space between the rear or inner edges of the two projections and the two locking plates or projections which extend over the rear end of the recess. As this bolt catches in between these projections, it prevents the desk from being forced backward in such a manner asto detach or loosen the lugs from the recesses in the plates, and hence the desk or other device is rigidly locked in place until the person who has the key raises the bolt upward, when the desk can be pushed backward and instantly detached from the floor.

\Vhere desks are bolted or screwed to the floor, it is very difiicult to p cperly clean the floor, either with a broom or while scrubbing it, and hence it is a matter of necessity that the desk should be made as readily detachable as possible, so that when it is desired to clean the floor the desk can be detached and moved to another place. By thus making the desk removable, many school-rooms can be instantly converted into a hall or room to beused for other purposes, at no greater expense than the trouble of moving the desk into some other place or position.

This locking device is here shown as being attached to a school-desk; but it is evident that it can be applied in a great many other places and to other uses, and I do not therefore limit myself to this particular use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the two recessed plates 1) I), one of which is provided with the projections H, the other with the projections H and stops J, with the legs of a desk or bench, both of which are provided with the lugs G, and the locking device L, secured to one pair of said legs, and which prevents any backward I movement of the lugs C, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the leg ofa desk, seat, or bench, provided with the lug or projection O, and recessed to receive a bolt, L, and an operating mechanism, 1 O, with the recessed plate I), provided with lu H and J, for catching; over the lugs O, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whcreol'l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WEST MYERS.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN B. Wirrs, \Vir. A. PATTnRsox. 

